Reminiscing
by flashpenguin
Summary: It's been a lovely night filled with dancing and music. And Derek wants to make sure it never ends. A quick drabble inspired by the song.


_Just a quick Pen/Derek drabble that came to me the other night as I lay in bed trying to fall asleep. I could see Pen dancing up the sidewalk and Derek falling to one knee as he spilled out all that was in his heart. I hope you like it._

_Dedicated to Miss Stacy and her new bundle of joy, Peyton Joseph. God bless you always. Kate._

_Song prompt: "Reminiscing" by The Little River Band._

**Reminiscing**

Derek Morgan pulled the car up next to the curb and put the engine in park. Looking over at the woman sitting in the passenger seat, he smiled. It had been a memorable night of dinner and dancing. And he was in love.

Turning off the engine, he relished in the silence of the interior. His brain still replayed the last song they had danced to and he would never forget it for as long as he lived.

"May I walk you in?" he asked.

Pen turned to look at him. "Yes, you may," she smiled and reached for the door handle.

"No. Stay there. Let me," he ordered and jumped from the car. Rushing around, he pulled open the door. "There you go, Baby Girl."

"Thank you." Picking up her clutch, Pen gracefully exited the car. She stood and waited while Derek set the alarm. As he pocketed the keys, she took his hand in hers and kissed it. "You are too good to me."

"You deserve to have a memorable birthday," he murmured. His eyes lingered for a long moment over the woman who had captured his heart from the moment he had laid eyes on her in the bullpen. He took in her petite form dressed in dark blue, her blonde hair piled in curls on the top of her head, a sparkly silver shawl covered her delicate shoulders. Her laughter filled the quiet night.

And his heart went into immediate free fall.

"Dinner at a fancy restaurant followed by a night of dancing," she sighed as the memory cloaked her. "I think you spoiled me for life."

"It was the least I could do for the woman I love," he replied.

"Well, I love you too, but I'm sure my feet feel differently." She raised his arm above her head to twirl around. She never wanted the moment to end.

Derek grimaced. "I'm sorry."

"Who would have thought the man of many talents has two left feet?" she chided and continued to twirl up the sidewalk to the steps outside the main entrance of her apartment.

"We can't all be David Rossi," he returned lightly.

"Oh, I'm sure if you ask, he'll teach you how to dance." Her eyes dance with mischief. Her body swayed to the song in her head.

Derek awkwardly followed her lead. "I'll do a lot of things in the name of love, Baby Girl, but I draw the line at taking dance lessons from another man…much less dancing with a man."

"Well as long as you think that way, we will always have the dance floor to ourselves."

"I don't mind being the center of attention as long as I'm with you."

"Be still my beating heart."

Derek covered the area with his hand. "Not as long as I have anything to say about it. This heart will keep beating forever." He wrapped his free arm around her waist and pulled her close.

"Oh," Pen breathed, "I like the sound of that."

"So do I."

He was so close that all she had to do was lift her head and meet his lips. Yes, they had kissed a few times over the years, but the kisses had been brief and chaste. Never had one been romantic. But she wanted to change that…tonight.

"Do you want to come up stairs for a cup of coffee?" she asked point blank.

"Sure. Coffee would be nice." He wasn't much for the java late at night but he never wanted the night to end. But a cup would keep him by her side for that much longer. At least until he got his nerve up.

Taking his hand in hers, Pen led them both up the four flights of stairs to her tiny one bedroom apartment. Derek stood in silence as she dug out her keys and turned the lock. He held the door and let her go inside first.

Closing the door, he threw the deadbolt and looked around at the quaintly furnished room that defined who Penelope Garcia was. Outrageous but subtle. Perky but laid back. Her home was like her - unique but still able to fade into the background unnoticed.

And he liked it.

From the furniture to the mismatched dishes to the beads hanging down over the entrance to her bedroom - there wasn't one thing he would change. Even the second hand Tiffany lamp with a piece of stained glass missing…he wanted it just as much as he wanted her.

He could hear her moving around in the kitchen as she filled the carafe and then turned on the coffee maker. Slowly, the scent of fresh brewed coffee wafted to tickle his nose. Closing his eyes, he breathed it in. Unconsciously, his hand reached into his pants pocket as his mind drifted off with images of children and rocking chairs on a porch…

"Cream and sugar?" Pen's voice called out.

Snapping out of his reverie, Derek tried to bring himself back into the present. "What?" He blinked quickly.

"Cream and sugar?" she repeated. "Earth to Derek Morgan."

"Sure. Cream and sugar will be fine."

A minute later, Pen stepped beside him with two cups of hot java in her hands. "Here you go." She handed the ceramic mug over.

Sipping carefully, Derek savored the flavored drink. It was like her: sweet and with just a touch of bitterness, but strong and overwhelming in a smooth kind of way.

"This is good."

"Thank you."

Together they stood in front of the living room window and watched the traffic pass by. In the distance a siren screamed and a horn honked. An engine with a bad muffler sounded long before the car made its appearance.

Leaning down, Derek turned off the small lamp and cast the room into darkness - save for the bright street lights and the faint glow of the moon that poured thru the window panes.

"What are you doing?" Pen asked.

"I like the moonlight," he said and set his mug down on the small round table. "And I like you in the moonlight."

"Really?" she breathed nervously. She wasn't sure what he was hinting at, but she was trying not to hold her breath as the second ticked by.

"Tonight was perhaps the best night of my life…so far," he continued.

"Mine too," she agreed.

"I wasn't sure if you liked big band music - like Glenn Miller," he added quickly.

"I do. I love Glenn Miller. It was amazing." Her eyes shone.

"Thank you." Derek swallowed as he tried to calm his nerves. This was perhaps the hardest but easiest thing he was ever going to do, but he wanted to make sure the moment was perfect so in sixty years they could both look back and feel the same as they did right now.

Before Pen respond, Derek dropped to one knee. Something cold and heavy slipped over her ring finger.

"What…?" she sputtered. "What are you doing?"

"Penelope Diane Garcia, I love you."

"Derek…"

"I have always loved you. From the moment I met you, I knew that you were the one for me. When I thought I had lost you, my life nearly came to a stop. I never realized what you meant to me until your life hung in the balance. Whenever I have needed you, you have been there. You're more than the angel on my shoulder - you are my life. We've made mistakes…horrible, stupid mistakes that we have learned from. And I think we're…stronger for it. I know that I vowed to make up it up to you every chance I get."

"Derek…"

"And tonight was amazing. It opened my eyes and made me realize that I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I am never going to leave you alone…save for the times I have to go out of town on a case or training," he amended. "But other than those times, I'm never going to leave your side. I'm going to make sure that every day of your life is just as happy as tonight was. So, what I'm asking is: Will you marry me?"

Pen's hand shook causing the liquid to slosh over the side. The liquid burned her hand. "Oh Derek," she whispered. "Look at what you made me do."

Standing up, Derek took the cup from her. Carefully he set it down beside his.

Tenderly he took her hand and kissed it. "All better?"

She nodded. "Yes."

"So, will you marry me and make this night last for the rest of our lives?" he asked.

The moonlight cast an ethereal aura around him and made him seem almost unreal. But he was real and he was holding her hand while he waited for her answer. At that moment, her heart overflowed with more love than she thought possible.

"On one condition, Sweet Thing."

"Anything, Pen. Name it and it's yours." He meant it. If she wanted the moon, he would lasso it.

"Learn to dance."

Derek wrapped her in his arms. "Will you teach me?"

"Yes."

He cocked his head in thought. "Is that a yes to teaching me or yes to the proposal?"

"Yes." She nodded.

"This is why I love you," he said in a choked voice.

Her smile shone bright in the moonlight. "I know. Now kiss me."

"Your wish is my command."

As he fulfilled her wish, the moon shone down on the coffee cups sitting side by side on the lamp table. They were out of place and mismatched, but they complimented one another like nothing else ever could.

Just like their owners.


End file.
